Dustin Drai, the vice president of entertainment for Drai’s Beachclub, Nightclub and Afterhours at Cromwell poses for a photo, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020.
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 | 2 a.m.
One of the most legendary Vegas nightlife destinations reopened just in time for Halloween weekend, Drai’s After Hours at the Cromwell, but it’s currently called Drai’s Lounge to properly showcase the type of experience guests will have.
“Drai’s Lounge is going to be a great feeling because the space was built for this type of concept,” says the club’s Vice President of Entertainment Dustin Drai on the latest episode of the Sun on the Strip podcast. “Dim lights, great music, candles all over the place. You’re going to walk in and it’s going to feel really sexy and it’s going to feel how it felt when it first opened 27 years ago. It’s crazy to think we’re still reinventing a venue that’s been around [that long], but it’s exciting.”
Drai’s Lounge is incorporating tableside cocktail service, a new food menu and other elements to create a memorable experience. Many of the Strip’s nightclubs and dayclubs are finding new ways to entertain while operating under state safety guidelines that restrict attendance and limit certain activities. Wild and crowded club parties with superstar DJs aren’t in the cards for the immediate future, but different venues are adapting to a more lounge-like environment.
As for the Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub space on the roof of the hotel, Drai says there’s no current timetable for reopening.
“We are hoping it’s sooner rather than later, but … the issue comes back to being able to put enough people in the venue seated, and creating a party vibe in a room that size is difficult when you don’t have 2,000 people,” he says. “We want to make sure the customer has a great experience and if you have six people per table in a space where the ceiling is 20 feet high and the room feels empty and there’s no energy or vibe, is it still fun? We have to find that middle ground.”
He thinks there will be some lasting effects even when Vegas nightclubs are allowed to return to full capacity, but Drai is expecting a major comeback for the industry once that standard is met.
“I do believe there is so much pent-up [demand] and people miss going out to these huge venues that it’s going to be a quick recovery. I think it will recover and then go to that next level.”
Listen to this and more on the Sun on the Strip, also available at Apple Podcasts.
